Simpee Habee Wonfluhfluh Chrimas Time

Dannika has been walking around singing that song for the last two weeks. I wasn't sure what she was saying, but she got the melody down pretty well so I knew what she was singing.

I was going to do a big Thankful post and get some Thanksgiving pictures up, but we got busy spending time with family and then life caught back up to me. Here are a few pictures of Thanksgiving in Washington

(pumpkin cheesecake...so good, but it cracked) 

and a few that we took of Annie for my Grandma's picture wall.

Kleyn keeps reminding me of the countdown to Christmas. I think we're almost ready, but there are a few last minute things I need to do. We got the tree up and decorated

and now I have to get the storage boxes out of the way. I got the ornaments made for this year and now all I have to do to them is put vinyl on them. I found the idea on Pinterest, but instead of putting the glue and salt on the outside, I put it on the inside.

We have a new routine for when the kids get sick. I get to sleep out on the couch with the sick kid and take care of them so that Danny and the other kids can get some good sleep. Kaleb got sick and was throwing up for 7 hours last Monday. Nobody else got sick until Saturday night when Dannika threw up, but she only threw up once, so it wasn't as bad. So far nobody else has gotten it, so I think it worked out pretty well. It doesn't make for a well rested momma, but as Danny has pointed out numerous times, I don't have to go to work and I can usually sneak in a nap somewhere throughout the day.

We have been having craft days with a group of ladies here in our ward. It's been really fun. I think it's going to become a monthly thing if everyone likes it enough to keep it going. I got my bathroom mirror painted this month and then I got some primary projects and the ornaments done this month. Next month I'm either going to focus on scrapbooks or sewing.

Kleyn is starting to read more chapter books and he's loving them. I asked him if he liked the picture books or the chapter books more and he said that he liked the chapter books more because they are more interesting. I know he struggles with reading, but I really hope he can find something that really gets his attention and he can enjoy reading as much as I do.

We just had parent-teacher conferences and Kaleb and Kleyn are both doing so well. The teachers both said they are right where they should be. I just need to keep pushing them a little bit so they don't fall behind. Kaleb is doing well with his letters, letter sounds, and his sight words. He doesn't seem to struggle with them like Kleyn did, so I'm hoping that's a good sign for him. He likes to point out all of the words he knows while we are reading at night.

Dannika is going to be in primary in three weeks. We have been bringing in the five little girls that are going to be our sunbeams for singing time. I think they'll adjust to it just fine. They look like such a fun class. Dannika loves having four princess friends to play with. She still loves to sing and knows a lot of songs and loves to make up her own. She still sneaks out to the swing set whenever she gets a chance even when it's freezing outside.

Annistyn is so ready to start eating food. She watches everyone while they are eating and if you get a spoon anywhere near her mouth she follows it with her eyes and her open mouth. She's not a really big fan of the rice cereal and I'm not sure that she's going to love the baby food, either, but she likes tiny bits of soft vegetables. I'm going to try the pureed baby food with her in the next two weeks and I guess we'll go from there. She is rolling all over the place and when she sees something she wants she knows there's some way to get to it, but she just doesn't know quite what to do yet. She gets her little bum up in the air and her face smashed in the ground, but that's about it right now. Her little bald spot on the back of her head is finally starting to fill in just a tiny bit.

Danny is still working his tail off and I always wish there were more I could do to help him. I hate feeling like he has to choose between spending time with his family and going out to his shop to work. Once he gets these big projects done that he's in the middle of he says that he'll start doing one project at a time so that it doesn't get so overwhelming. I am so grateful to him for how hard he works and how much he does to provide for us.

I am still just trying to keep up with everything and everyone. I am looking forward to another year in primary and the Christmas break. I need to work on losing weight again and I have quite a few projects that I want to work on as well. I'm going to get my sewing room and scrapbook room in working order so that I can do that in my spare time.

I hope everyone is doing well this Christmas season and that you are all safe and happy.

 

We love you! Merry Christmas!